Pakistan increases COVID restrictions amid a third wave

Countrywide cases rise by 22,018 in last 10 days, a 68-percent increase from preceding 10 days, official data shows.

Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani authorities have sealed sections of the capital Islamabad, officials say, as the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic caused a spike in cases and hospital admissions across the country. Pakistan recorded 2,253 new cases of the virus in the last 24 hours, with active cases rising by 917 to 22,038, according to government data released on Monday. At least 29 people died from the virus on that day, the data shows, taking the overall death toll in Pakistan since the pandemic began to 13,537.